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  • Pendleton Heights senior Meghan Wiles will attend Indiana University to play women's soccer in the fall. Aaron Piper / The Herald Bulletin

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February 13, 2012

Wiles’ heart leads her to Hoosiers

PH soccer star will play next season at Indiana University

By Justin Albers For The Herald Bulletin

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Meghan Wiles took some time to explore her options, but she always kind of knew where she would end up.

She’s an IU girl.

Wiles, a Pendleton Heights senior, signed to play soccer at Indiana University on Feb. 1, the NCAA’s National Signing Day. Her parents, Tom and Mandy, both attended IU.

“I’ve always liked IU,” said Wiles, whose two older sisters also attended Pendleton Heights and are now playing soccer at the collegiate level. “My parents were definitely rooting for me to go there. I’m very excited. I’m definitely going to enjoy my high school year, but I know I have a good future ahead of me, and I can’t wait to get to play.”

Indiana soccer coach Mick Lyon remembers Wiles and her parents coming down to Bloomington during Wiles’ junior year to attend a Hoosiers basketball game. Lyon said it seemed like a perfect fit from the beginning.

“It was a fantastic evening, and I could see that she was already embracing the spirit of IU athletics,” Lyon said. “That made me excited because when you’re recruiting girls, you want them to be excited about your program and about your institution. I could see that in her eyes.”

Lyon first saw Wiles playing for her Under-15 club team in New Jersey. He said he’s seen her play three or four times since then and marveled at her improvement.

“I just saw her having an impact in the game,” Lyon said of the first time he saw Wiles. “She was, to be honest, a pretty slight young girl, not a lot of weight to her. But she was everywhere on the pitch and just got touches everywhere — defending, bringing the ball back, she got into the box with a couple great headers. It seemed like she did a lot of things in midfield.”

Even though the Hoosiers struggled to a 6-12-1 record last season, including six consecutive losses to end the season, it will be hard for Wiles to get on the field in her freshman season. Indiana’s roster is full of returning players who figure to fill most of the Hoosiers’ starting positions.

But Lyon said Wiles is “right in the middle” of the Hoosiers’ latest recruiting class, and he expects her to eventually play a substantial role in college.

“It’s going to be tough for Meghan to find a spot in the top 18,” Lyon said. “I know when Meghan reads this she’ll be like, ‘I’ll find a spot.’ That’s the kind of spirit she has. That kid’s got the heart of a lion and a lot of skill to go along with it. Her potential is definitely high, and we’ve only scratched the surface of what she can do at the next level.”

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